I'm proud to be an an Indian. I am proud of its culture, the heritage and its rich history. I'm proud of Ayurveda and the Taj Mahal and the waving tricolour flag that my ancestors fought so hard for. And every time I put on a salwar kameez or wrap a sari around my waist, I can feel the blood of my ancestors running through my veins. I can feel the history of this country, the hundreds of years that people have lived on this peninsula. It somehow makes me feel taller, like I have a place in this world. Then why don't I do it more often? Why do I choose to pull a T-shirt over my head instead of a kurta? Well Bollywood always says, cooler people wear jeans and the shy heroine wears ethnic. Other girls my age said it would be "weird" when I brought it up a few days ago. I wonder if my friends would treat me differently if I showed up to school wearing a kurta...
Colonialism took a lot from us, our gold, our jewels, our Kohinoor...but they also took our culture, our pride, our unity. It's time I think to get it back. I mean, the gold was melted and the Kohinoor was cut to fit Her Majesty's crown so, maybe we let that go. But the rest of it, we can bring that back.
Ayurveda is the only all natural medicine available, doctors have been successful in curing diseases that even allopathy has failed at. The construction of the Taj Mahal is an astonishing feat and would be even with today's technology. Yoga is the world's oldest psychology and has been proven to bring peace to the mind and keep the body healthy.
We need to come together as a country, as a race to promote our culture. Our past glory is already being recognized by many people, online organisations and individuals like Sadhguru or the Speaking Tree. However, the most crucial aspect is that we as young people recognize the importance of retaining our culture and celebrating our culture and celebrating our heritage. Even small things like learning to read the script of our mother tongue or learning the recipe for an old family dish can help us stay connected to our ancestors and our mother land.
The sad part is even as I write this I'm not sure if I'll be brave enough to wear a kurta to school or if I'll find the time (or the patience) to learn Kannada script but it'll be easier if there's someone with me. You in?
Very True!